HB 2162 by Rep. Harold Dutton was heard on Friday, April 28, 2023, but did not receive the votes needed to pass. At a stakeholder meeting, we learned that the bill would be reconsidered Monday, May 1. We confirmed that the amendments added to the bill on Friday address our concerns as outlined below. We also received a commitment from Chairman Ken King that the House would not concur with any changes made to the bill by the Senate.
The amendments to HB 2162:
- Prohibit the results of the early reading instruments from being used in the state’s accountability system for district and campus ratings.
- Require the commissioner to adopt a comprehensive list of early reading instruments and allows districts the discretion to select an instrument not on the list if it meets certain criteria.
- Remove the provision that required districts to pay a tutoring service provider selected by the commissioner up to $1,000 for students who do not perform satisfactorily on the early reading instruments for two consecutive years. Instead, parents can select a high quality tutor from a commissioner’s list or a district approved list. If the district chooses a classroom teacher to fill the role of tutor, the teacher is entitled to supplemental pay from the district or campus.
- Maintain the Texas Education Code that requires the commissioner to annually certify that there is sufficient funding to administer the early reading instruments and provide the necessary accelerated instruction.
With the amendments in place, TASA is now neutral on the bill. We do not recommend any action at this time.
